Spike 'n Olly
by Jokerfest
Summary: Olly meet Spike.Spike meet Olly.These two are as alike as cats and dogs,but what is it that keeps the good doctor and the rebel bounty hunter together?Besides Spike can't stand uppity, shopping, nosy women,what makes this one any different? S/OC J/F OC/OC
1. Trio Triage

I do not own any of the Cowboy Bebop characters. I just love writing and writing about them. Anyway REVIEW, I'm curious about people's thoughts on this because I'm reaally working in a lot of OCs and I was wondering what people thought of them. Besides everyone loves a little feedback, yeah?

Olivia Wylde was a dreamer, one that had her dreams trampled constantly, sure, but a dreamer nonetheless. As a doctor, it didn't do to be a dreamer, it didn't do to believe that things would turn out alright. Sometimes there were just things that had to be forgotten or let go, but Olly always struggled to rise above. She had gone through medical school, done the entire program, became a universally renowned doctor and then decided that that wasn't enough. There were people in the cracks that she was missing, people who didn't have health care provided for them, people who couldn't afford the ambulance aid, far less the medicine. She remembered the click of her office door as she closed it behind her. She remembered the childish grin that had pulled at her lips and the shocked faces on the staff as she toted her things out of Mercy West Hospital.

It hadn't taken her long to get her underground clinic together. With the funds that she had accumulated it was child's play. She knew that if she was going to operate beneath the radar, she would have to be on top of all medical procedures, and not just one field. She studied everything from acupuncture to cybernetics. Everything. Having a photographic memory worked out for her that way. She assembled a small staff and trained them in basic medical procedures herself. She helped plan the blueprints of her makeshift hospital and paid off the workers to whisper nothing to the authorities. She also offered free health care to them and their family should they keep her secret. A slow trickle came at first, desperate people who had nowhere else to turn, and she was ecstatic. Well, not at their condition, but that she could finally help others. She treated them as best she could, which in nearly all cases was spectacularly, and when she lost a patient, she always aided in funeral arrangements. Some people had come to love her and she them, and it didn't take long for her to feel truly alive in Olly's Underground.

. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . ..

"Hey, Olly! Found a guy in an alley! Bleedin' fast!"

A large muscular young man was carrying an unconscious man in his arms. Olly didn't hesitate, from the blood on her friend, and the blood steadily oozing from the man in his arms, she knew she couldn't afford to.

"Here, get 'im on the gurney!"

"Hey, what's going on?"

"Sadie go get the O+ start a transfusion!"

"What? Oh, sure, sure I'm on it!"

Olly opened the drawer beside the gurney and found the scissors she had been looking for. She cut away the man's shirt and pulled the material away revealing a deep bloody gash going up the man's midsection. With every shuddering breath the man took, more blood flowed. Luke raced over to her her tools in his hands. She nodded at the counter and he rested it there then stepped back giving her room to work.

Sadie came in moments later, clutching bags of blood and an IV. "I got it!"

"Good, get him hooked up!"

"Gotcha," and Sadie got to work searching for a vein and plunging the device in.

As she did this Olly worked to clean the wound. It was thin but deep, and she could see bone glistening underneath all the blood. When cleaned to her satisfaction she sprayed a sealant over the wound and tightened it with stitches. It was an archaic form of medicine that had abandoned long ago, but it would ensure that he didn't bleed out. She sprayed more sealant to secure the stitches. She got the overhead computer to scan his vitals once she was done.

"_Rising heart rate. Pulse resuming normal rate. Temperature 98.6. No known diseases. Male. Approximate age between 25-30. Detect cybernetic eye, undamaged. Survival at 92 percent._"

Olly grinned broadly at her luck, at his luck. The man, had been only seconds from death, and only her and her friends' speed had saved him. If they had been a second slower he would have been dead, and the computer scan would have had a different set of information. Olly whipped bloody gloves from her hands rubbed the sweat from her brow and faced her friends.

"Well guys, good work. Now I'm fuckin' starved, who's up for spaghetti?"

. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .

Olly had always viewed cooking as an art. Her mind accepted it as such because there was always room for compromise, and often, it appealed to some but not all. Medical stuff, was not so lenient, some laws could not be broken, some miracles could not be done, some problems not fixed, and sometimes there simply was no starting over. As she boiled the spaghetti she continued to think of the patient that was sleeping in the other room. A cybernetic eye, the scanner had said. That meant that this wasn't the first life or death situation the man had faced. She wondered what he must have suffered to have his eye replaced.

She stirred the spaghetti absentmindedly, and then left it to simmer.

She found Luke and Sadie in the living room playing a game of cards. The two of them lived with her permanently, having lost their family. Luke had come to her when he was fifteen already reaching at six foot. He had had a gunshot wound, but had managed to carry Sadie the entire way. He looked like a wounded angel, his blond ringlets framing his face, his big blue eyes pleading for Olly to help, and she hadn't been able to say no. Together they laid out little Sadie on the gurney and patched her up. She had gotten shot as well, in the leg and the shoulder. Lying like that her usually tan face, a pale grayish color, Olly had thought her done for, but she had been wrong. The little over five foot eighteen year old had proved to be a fighter. When they had both fully healed they had asked to stay, and Olly hadn't wanted to say no. It seemed natural that they stay with her. She sort of became their mother and they sort of became her kids. For five years they had gone through good times and bad, but mostly good ones. They had formed a bond that Olly had never thought she would find again, and they had made the Underground one of the best places to receive hospital care.

Luke put his cards face down as Olly approached and pulled out a chair for her to sit down.

"So, whaddya think of the guy?"

"Not really sure yet, to be honest. The scanner said fake eye, and it has me thinking what he had to have lived through."

"Yeah," Sadie said as she eyed her cards," I mean his _eye_, man!"

"Olly," Luke said turning to her his expression serious," I know we don't normally ask questions, but I'm curious about this one. He musta dragged himself pretty far, the blood trail went a ways back. I checked. He really wanted to live, he was fightin' for somethin'."

"We''ll find out what when he comes to, huh?"

"Guess so."

"Yeah, yeah, 'nough talk," Sadie said her green eyes rolling comically, "now let's get serious Luke. I'm trying to win back those woolongs you took from me!"

Luke grinned his face taking on a more mischievous tone. Olly wondered when they'd admit their feelings for one another.

"Trying, but it's not gonna happen shorty!"

She smiled to herself as she went back to the spaghetti. They would sort it out eventually, maybe sooner rather than later.


	2. Wakeup Call

__

I do not own any of the Bebop characters, they belong to the people that made them, me not amongst those people. Anywho the characters I do own are Luke, Sadie, and of course Olly. And sorry about the italics it's all freaking 's fault.

The stranger slept on for two more days before he showed any signs of waking. As he slept nothing much went on in the Underground, splinting a sprained arm, popping back in a dislocated shoulder nothing serious. It was during a particularly intense game of poker that the man finally opened his eyes.

"Aw, come on I'm sorry Sadie!"

"Yeah, right! You're not sorry, you totally-I just- forget it!"

Olly watched the two carefully. This wasn't like their usual play fights, this time Luke had taken it a little too far. She knew that the two liked each other, but that had been no reason to make a kiss a stake in the game. Luke knew that Sadie was not exactly brilliant at poker and that she often made telltale faces, and it had been wrong to put the bet down on the table in the first place.

"Sadie..."

"No! That was a bitch move! Winner gets whatever they want!?! I would never take something like that from you!"

Olly only moved aside as Sadie pushed away her chair and headed into the recovery room. Luke turned to her and then looked towards the recovery room. Olly rested her hand on his.

"You know you fucked up right?"

"Yeah, I know-I just-I thought she felt the same way!"

"She does you idiot, but she wants you to be a man and ask her out, not force her in a game of cards!"

Luke looked down a furious red blush on his cheeks. It made him look like a bashful angel when his face did that. Olly wanted to offer him comfort, and tell him everything would be fine, but she knew he'd have to step up on his own. Luke made to get up but was startled when Sadie came running back into the living room.

"Mystery guy's awake! Hurry!"

Soon all the chairs were shoved aside as the three of them ran behind the tiny woman. Olly wasn't quite sure why she was so excited by the man waking up. She had seen many people regain consciousness after severe wounds. She had seen so many miracles since she had opened up the Underground, but for some reason this one instance seemed different. As she followed Sadie into the recovery room she wondered if it was because of what Luke had said to her after they had saved the man.

He really wanted to live, he was fightin' for somethin'.

Olly supposed she wanted to know what this man thought was so important that he couldn't give up, that he flat out refused. Saving people had been her calling, so much so that she gave up everything to do it. She had walked out of her fakey family on Mars, given up a solid career and a ridiculous amount of money, to live out on the streets and help people. What was this man's calling, what was driving this man to crawl down an alleyway broken and bleeding?

He wasn't sitting up when she walked in, he was simply looking up at the ceiling. His gaze wasn't spaced out, but concentrated almost determined. Olly approached as Sadie and Luke stepped off to the side.

As she looked down at him she could see that his eyes were indeed different from one another. His lips had a stubborn look about them, as if he was used to pushing people's buttons, and generally being complicated. His eyebrows were light brushstrokes, not furrowed in pain or confusion, just easy lines. He was as cool as a cucumber too, but his eyes were what got Olly the most. They looked empty but full all the same, as if he was waiting on something.

"What're you lookin' at?"

"A deadbeat lyin' in bed, yourself?"

A frown tugged down his lips, but it went back to a plain line in a matter of seconds. He was quite obviously very tight on his emotions.

"Where am I?"

"You're in my hospital. My friend Luke found you bleedin' to death in an alley."

"And you saved my life?"

"Yeah and you're welcome."

"Welcome? Who said anything about thanking you?"

"Excuse me?"

The empty and heavy eyes closed shut with an air of defiance. Olly was glad because right then she was dancing on the line between irritated and pissed and she didn't always have such a good handle on her anger.

"You women...you're all the same. Can't leave well enough alone."

"What!?!? You arrogant sexist son of a-"

Olly reached out to yank his wily dark green locks but felt arms pulling her back. She calmed down enough to see that Luke had her. She took a breath and nodded showing him that she could indeed act like a mature doctor. In fact, when had she ever dived into her anger that quickly? She was usually the easy going one, the first to play peacemaker and the last to throw down and get messy. She had never even cursed at a patient before. She took another breath and looked back at the man on the table.

"Look there was a trail of blood. You crawled, you were trying to live, get help."

"Who says I wasn't just looking for a place to die," he replied smoothly.

Olly wasn't sure what to say to that. She looked about and saw a small stool in the corner. She picked up and sat at the man's bedside. He turned his head to look at her again, and she wondered what he was thought of her. She knew that she wasn't the most beautiful girl in the world. Most of the time she was described as "cute" or "sweet". She had always felt a bit awkward about her lengthy white hair, her crystal blue eyes, and the spattering of freckles on her cheeks. She knew her lips were a bit too small, almost doll-like and heart shaped. Did he think she looked strange too? Did he find that her nose was a bit too upturned, or crooked the way she did? She positively hated the way he was looking at her, as if he was indifferent, but at the same time taking her apart layer by layer.

"Why do ya keep lookin' at me like that?"

"Trying...to figure out if-if you're for real. You are kinda strange looking."

She would have let the comment slide if he hadn't added the smirk at the end. It was the smirk of a jackass and a tough guy on top. She screeched backwards and stood up. She could fell heat surfacing to her cheeks possibly making her appear even cuter than before. This only added to the fury that was coursing through her.

"Look. I'm a doctor, okay! I did my job, which was savin' your stupid, suicidal, ungrateful, smug ass from certain death. We," Olly said gesturing to her friends," did good work, and even if you don't like breathing-trust me there are worse things to suffer through!"

He quirked an eyebrow at her and it took everything in her not to yank his messy hair until he squealed. Instead she turned to Sadie.

"Dee, get that bastard somethin' to eat. Luke change his bandages and clean him down, one of you get an IV for painkillers started up. I'm going for a walk."


	3. A Thoughtful Stew

Olly grumbled to herself as she walked down the narrow streets. Her boots clamped satisfyingly against the pavement, and she imagined that it was the stranger's face that she was stepping on. She replayed the conversation that they had. He had seemed so detached, bitter, and he had aimed it all at her. She had saved his life! She had patched his wounds, stitched him, cleaned him , and when she had watched him with his eyes open she had sworn there was a story worth hearing there. For one moment she felt that he would change her life, but as soon as he opened his mouth...

"Olly, get it together," she whispered softly to herself.

She stopped walking and leaned up against a store front. Her hands snuggled deeper into her pockets, and she closed her eyes. She let herself travel to the first time she had seen a person die. She hadn't been the doctor operating, but it hadn't mattered. She had been a rising med student. She remembered his smile, his carefree attitude. Her parents had hated him, but she had fallen for him completely.

Memories did Olly no favors. They were glimpses of futures that had ended badly, they were all failures. She felt that she had cooled down enough, and that she could stomach the stranger and his bullshit a little while longer. The miracle was gone and she had accepted it with some inkling of dignity. She would go back to the Underground and he would not get the best of her.

. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . ..

"Hey you're back!"

"Well, yeah, kinda live here Dee," Olly smirked as she took off her jacket.

Sadie ran her fingers through her hair sheepishly. Olly quirked an eyebrow. Her return wasn't _that_ big of a deal.

"What're you up to?"

"Well...umm...Luke, he and I were talking and well...!"

Olly snorted and bit her lip. She could just imagine the two of them trying to dance around their affections. Sadie was bold but somewhat withdrawn about her personal feelings, and though Luke was no doubt one of the largest most able-bodied man she'd ever seen, he had a very soft heart and was often reserved about his thoughts. She knew that she had to have been walking for hours because there was no way that the conversation between the two had been short.

"You two don't have to tell me anything, just get outta here," Olly said warmly as she patted Sadie's shoulder.

"Anyone ever tell you you're the best?"

"Yeah, but I could stand to hear it a few more times after today."

"Aww don't let Spike getcha down!"

"Spike?"

"Yeah you know, wannabe badass in the infirmary?"

"Oh, him. Whatever. You two go have fun and I'll watch the ingrate."

Sadie shrugged and headed off to her room, her black hair bouncing as she practically skipped there. Olly smiled to herself as she remembered how young Luke and Sadie had been. She had never asked where they had come from before their arrival, never once wondered what brought the three of them together. She always figured that if they ever needed to tell her they would and for now she'd take them as they were. She put her coat away in her closet and headed off to the infirmary. If she was lucky her patient would be unconscious.

. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .

No such luck.

"Back again? Thought you skipped town," the green haired stranger said smugly.

"Yeah, well you can't get rid of me that easy. How are you feeling?"

"I've felt better."

"I'm sure dumbass. What I mean is do you need any more pain killers, are you hungry, that sort of thing,"

"Think you can..._fetch_ me something to eat?"

Olly found her buried anger clawing to the surface once more, but she closed her eyes and quashed it. She was not going to give into the stranger's taunts, even they were biting and somewhat numerous.

"Look, trying to be nice here, cut me a break."

She looked at him and noticed his eyes had lost some of the sharpness from earlier. When his gaze fell on her she still felt like a bug under glass, but the malice had disappated to a mild irritation. She looked at the eye that was fake, which also remained fixed on her. Again the urge to ask rose in her, but she didn't want him leaping down her throat again so she settled for a different question.

"Whaddya want to eat?"

"Anything with meat would be nice. You've got that dontcha?"

"Yeah, sure." She pushed back a stray lock of white hair that had fallen into her eyes. She knew that he watched her every move with those piercing eyes and she wanted to ask what he found so fascinating about her. She could feel red surfacing to her cheeks, and before she could make a complete fool of herself she turned towards the door.

"Wait. Your names Olly right, short for Olivia?"

"Yeah, what of it?"

"S'nothin'. Just my, ah, curiosity getting the best of me."

She nodded and left the room to see what she could cook up.

. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .

The living room and kitchen were pretty quiet and Olly was certain that Luke and Sadie had already gone out. Good. They both needed to say what they were going to say so they could get their act together. She ruffled through cabinets and drawers tossing ingredients onto the countertop. She opened the fridge and pulled out more food and edged it onto the counter. She figured she could extend the olive branch through food, there was an old earth saying about men and food, but she couldn't remember what it was. She steamed and cleaned her vegetables and set to cutting the meat into nice little cubes. She hoped that he liked the food that she was about to make, she always put effort into her cooking.

As she cooked she began to hum softly. It was a song that _he_ had taught her. It was a simple lilting tune that he used to sing to her when they were alone. She'd curl up at his side and he would drape one arm over her. As he held her he would sing to her and it would make her relaxed all over. His voice had been a lovely sounding thing and she had wondered why he hadn't gone professional when he had the chance. When she asked him he said that he would only ever sing for the people he loved, there simply wasn't a better audience.

The meat looked to be about cooked and so Olly added the vegetables, tomatoes, celery, eggplant, corn, all of it bubbled into a thick stew. She added cinnamon and small amount of sugar for sweetness. The smell that hit her nostrils made her close her eyes and smile. He would certainly love this. After a few more minutes she poured the warm soup into a bowl, and headed back into the infirmary. The stranger, Spike, was still lying down, but as always his eyes were fixed on some other place that Olly couldn't see. She wondered if he was thinking over the past few days or what landed him in her hospital in the first place. It was a grisly wound that lined up his chest and it would have given her something to think about.

"I'm back."

"With food too, which is an improvement," he turned to her with a small smirk, he was only joking with her.

"Whatever," she rested the bowl on the side table beside the cot, and then moved to help him up. As she helped him he could feel her eyes on her again, and she shivered. When he looked at her this close it was quite unnerving.

"How come your hair's so white?"

"I almost died when I was a baby. Really high fever, trouble breathing, the works. It turned my hair white, I guess the heat did the pigment in."

"Hmmm."

She almost yelped when she felt fingers glide through her hair. She remembered that _he_ used to do that. She shrugged away from Spike's touch and adjusted the pillows. He sighed comfortably and snuggled backwards. She picked up the soup and rested it in his lap.

"It's a bit hot, so blow on it first."

"Yeah, yeah. What is this?"

"Beef stew, my own personal recipe."

"Smells good," Spike muttered indifferently as he lifted a spoonful to his lips. He winced a bit and she imagined that moving his arm was pulling on his wound. She let him take a bite and then pulled bowl and spoon away from him.

"That is good. Now what the hell'd you take it away for?"

"You see that big gash going up your chest? It'll tear open if you keep pulling on it."

"You're not feeding me, now gimme back the damn soup!"

"No," Olly snapped as she leaned away from his reaching arm," you'll open up that wound."

"Fine keep it."

"Stubborn man!"

"Silly woman," he snarled back.

"You know what if you want to bleed to death, take the damn bowl." Olly shoved the bowl roughly back into his hands and stormed out of the room. She prided herself on the fact that she didn't strangle her patient, but she was still a little angry that she had let the argument get that far. She would head back in if he started screaming bloody murder.


	4. Only to Spite

I do not own Cowboy Bebop. But I love me Some Spike. So on with the fic, at any rate do not forget reviews are love.

Olly didn't go far. She sat at the kitchen table drumming her fingers against the wooden surface. She just couldn't believe the nerve of the infuriating man in the hospital bed. Every word out of his mouth was negative or indifferent, he was never pleased, always slightly pissed, and a pain. Her fingers danced faster across the table as she imagined giving him a sound pinching in the side. But then she felt bad about his wound. He really would have trouble eating in his condition, he was probably struggling at that very moment. She should try being the bigger person again and ignore the insults.

She sighed. She hated when her conscience decided to rear its angelic head. It had her doing strange things like convincing her to talk to strange men with large chest wounds. She brushed a lock of hair from her face and headed into the room once more. She smirked when she saw that he hadn't eaten a bite since she had left. Crossing her arms she leaned up against the doorframeand watched him. He looked over at her his eyes sparking with anger as he saw her smug expression. If anything his angry look made her smile even more smugly.

"Need help," she asked sweetly.

"Like hell," he huffed as he tried to reach for his spoon. She could see the torn muscle tissue threaten to pop from its stitches. She instantly lept from her position and rushed to his side. She took the bowl and resumed her seat in the stool.

"Hey, look I'm sorry. Just let me help you."

He glanced over at her defiance still plain in his eyes, but when she lifted the spoon to his lips he opened his mouth. He groaned in satisfaction, his eyes fluttering closed. She smiled at him, his expression for just that brief moment free of his usual bitter and ungrateful look. He chewed appreciatevely and then swallowed his eyes opening to look at her once more.

"So what's worse?"

"Huh?"

"When you were yellin' earlier you said there was worse things than breathin'. Looked like you wanted to say there was worse things than dyin' but you didn't."

Olly lifted another spoonful of soup to Spike's lips before answering.

"Losin' someone is worse," she finally said her eyes faraway," losin' someone that meant everything to you, that's worse. Breathing, living is hard sure, but so is knowing that someone else isn't."

"Hmm."

After that Olly fed Spike in silence. It wasn't an awkward silence, but one that was almost amiable. Olly suddenly didn't feel tense at all, and she could see that even Spike had finally calmed down from before.

"So is there...anyone I should call to come get you," Olly said hesitantly.

"That eager to get ridda me,huh?"

"No, but don't you think that people are worried about you?"

""They're always worried. Besides I'm not ready to see 'em just yet. Nope," Spike said as he made himself more comfortable amongst the pillows," they're just gonna have to wait."

"You should at least let them know you're alright!"

"What're you my mother?"

"No, but if they care about you they deserve to know."

Spike glanced at Olly again giving her another one of his familiar gazes. She squirmed beneath the intense stare, but refused to back down her own blue eyes meeting his own.

"Fine, bring a computer and I'll contact the Bebop myself."

"The Bebop?"

"Yeah, it's a ship, and the people who miss me," Spike smirked as he eyed her," are bounty hunters."

Olly tilted her head at Spike curiously. She had her own smirk as she saw his put out expression. He hadn't managed to shock her one bit. Finally she chuckled her moment of pretending to be serious over.

"I'm not afraid of bounty hunters. My late fiance was one. Now let me see if I can do something about contacting your friends. Wouldn't want to worry them."

. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . ..

It was thoroughly satisfying getting to Spike. Bringing back the computer she placed it into his lap.

"Alright, what're the codes?"

She smiled even wider when he grumbled out the series of numbers. She knew that if he had been feeling a little bit better he would have been crossing his chest in indignance. She typed amiably and waiting for the signal to get back to her. Finally after a few minutes and slight interference between signals Olly could see a bright red mop of hair appear on the screen.

"Howdy,howdy, howdy!"

"Hi," Olly said an eyebrow quirked, " is this the Bebop?"

"Bebop,yes," and the mop moved back and the face of a young teenager came into view. A boy? Girl? Didn't look much older than twelve, and Olly wondered what a child of that age could be doing on a ship full of bounty hunters.

"Hey, Ed,"Spike said, "where's Jet?"

"Uhh...Jet-person? Playing with plants! Edward hasn't seen him in awhile? Right Ein?"

"RUFF!"

"What about Faye?"

"Faye-Faye? Eyes always reeeeee_ddd_ and yucky. Very sad, Faye-Faye. We all thought Spike-person was a goner."

Olly smiled wistfully at the young child. She knew that pain. She knew how much it hurt to see a person so thoroughly entrenched in your life that it physically hurt to know they were gone. She wanted to rip Spike a new one for not wanting to contact his friends immediately. She glanced up at him angrily, and he looked back at her coolly before looking back at Edward.

"Hey, Ed what are you lookin' at over there," a female voice mumbled brokenly in between sniffles. The faint clip clop of heels clicked louder and louder until a beautiful violet haired woman was facing the screen. Olly frowned, the woman was gorgeous, why in the worlds would a man leave a woman like that with the idea that he was dead? Although for someone confronting a supposed dead friend she didn't look too thrilled, in fact her dead pan expression was somewhat eerie.

"Well look who's still breathing. Decided to grace us all with your presence?"

"Hey, you look like hell."

"Screw you Spike!"

"Aww, is that how you treat all your friends?"

"Whatever, when are you coming back?"

"Back?"

"Don't play dumb Spike!"

"Who said anything about going back, Faye."

Even through the fuzzy connection Olly could see tears pricking at the corner of the woman's eyes. Olly couldn't believe that Spike was being so cruel. She bit her lip to keep from shouting in anger. She didn't want to interrupt because she knew that they needed to know that he was okay whether he decided to act like a jackass or not.

"Oooo, you are unbelievable!!! We thought you were dead, you stupid mop-headed jackass! Edward turn the damn thing off, he can rot for all I care!"

"But Faye-Faye!"

"Turn it off!"

There was pleading and curses exchanged between the two females but finally the screen went blank. Olly looked up at Spike with tears in her eyes her whole body shaking with rage. Her fists clenched as she stood up. She struggled to keep her cool, but she couldn't. Her hand flew across the side of his face with enough force to send his face whipping to the side. He let his face stay there, and she was glad. She couldn't bear to look at him.

"What I wouldn't _give_ to be you! What I wouldn't give to have that chance! You really are heartless aren't you!?"

And with that she snatched her computer away from him and left the room slamming the door behind her.


	5. Sharing

Okay so I got a new chapter set up and I hope you like it. It's heading towards the romance direction but mind you because of the pigheadedness of my characters it will take some time. anyway two things: I do not own any of the characters of Cowboy Bebop and of course reviews are love!

Olly seethed in her room. Of course, she really didn't like to think of it as seething because that would mean admitting that the jackass in the infirmary had gotten to her. She thought of the broken look on the woman's face, the confused expression on the child. She didn't understand how anyone could hurt people that cared so much. She looked around her room. It was a plain area, a place undecorated except for the varnished violin that sat in its case. She had all the necessary items, a com link, clothes, a dresser, even a clock that hung from the wall, but there was no hint of personality in the room. She knew that Luke and Sadie were curious about her lack of decoration, but they knew better than to ask, and she honestly didn't feel like sharing. As she sat on her bed she considered the way her old house had looked. Her fiance had carried her in bridal style and she had bonked her head on the wall. It had been sun yellow. She had been wearing shorts and his ragged jeans that had seen better days. They had been laughing, she remembered that.

"Vega, come on, put me down!"

"Never, never, Olly!"

She giggled loudly as he stepped onto the ruby colored carpet of their living room. He sat on the couch, the one that he had moved from his old apartment. It had been the only set up piece of furniture in the house since the movers had yet to arrive.

"I can't wait, y'know. This, all of this is gonna be ours, Olly." He gazed down at her his arms still holding her close to him. She remembered the dark green tint of his eyes when he said that to her. She remembered the way he smelled, like the varnish he used to care for his violin, and a faint whiff of hair-gel and cologne.

"I can't wait either. I can't wait to marry you."

He kissed her right then and they made love on their couch. For awhile they simply lay there enfolded in each other's arms, their whole future ahead of them.

"Hey."

Olly snapped out of her daydream and turned to see Spike leaning against the doorframe. She immediately jumped up to help him lie down. She also itched to tell him to hike his stupid ass down the stairs but figured she'd wait until Sadie and Luke came back before she moved him again.

"What the hell are you doing up here!? Are you trying to kill yourself!?"

"I don't know, maybe I am, " he said as he turned to face her.

She paused in helping him and looked down at him. When he said things like that it always made her stop what she was doing and look at him. What did a man have to look like, what condition did he have to be in to want to say such things? She sighed and laid down beside him.

"You shouldn't say stuff like that, it might actually come true."

"Is that right?"

"Mmm, I honestly don't know, just seemed like the right thing to say," she said as she looked up at the ceiling her hands folded neatly over her stomach.

"Why's the room so damn empty?"

"They burned all the decorations."

"Huh?"

"Nothing. Now your turn. Why'd you ditch your friends?"

"Who says they're my friends?"

"Good point. Spike?"

"Yeah?"

"If they miss you, they hafta be important to you some way. And if they're important...you shouldn't let 'em go so easy. If you do...you might not get them back."

"Huh. You been talkin' to Jet or somethin'?"

"No, I've been here, takin' care of your sorry behind," Olly said sitting up," and you know what I think that's enough for one day. I'm gonna go talk to those people again and tell 'em you're alright."

"Do whatever you want just...tell Faye and Ed I'm sorry."

Olly got off the bed and snatched up the com-link again. She helped Spike sit up and then set the computer in his lap.

"On second thought you tell 'em. I'll be back in a few minutes."

She gave her patient one last glance before stepping outside again.

"Olly!"

She turned her hand still pressed against the side of the door. "What?"

Spike shook his head, a smirk on his lips. Olly smiled back and then turned to head downstairs.

. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .

Olly could hear the two giggling outside, back from their date. She supposed that they had finally managed to get everything out in the open and she was glad for them. She went to the fridge and got herself two beers and headed upstairs. She could give the newly made couple a little more room before teasing them about it. She went in and saw Spike nestled in her comforter. He was snoring softly, his hair hanging in his face. Curious she approached him setting the beers on the dresser. She tiptoed to the bed and kneeled down until their noses were practically touching. He didn't look so stubborn and pigheaded when he was unconscious and it was strange seeing him so at ease. He opened his eyes blearily, not really seeing her.

"Julia?" The face that he wore was a mix of hope and sadness, and Olly couldn't bring herself to correct him. His hand found its way to her cheek and rubbed tentatively as if stroking a fragile creature. She closed her eyes, and felt lips press against her own. "Olly..."

She pulled away sharply and his eyes blinked with recognition. He sat up and clutched his wound at the piercing pain that came with getting up so quickly. She stood up and backed away bumping against the dresser and knocking over a beer.

"Olly."

"No, I'm sorry. I didn-I didn't mean it," she said tears gathering at the corner of her eyes. She stumbled backwards again watching as Spike slowly got to his feet his hands still clutching his wound. She could still see a dribble of blood between his fingers, on the comforter. And it was strange for a moment, one second of time, she worried that she couldn't get the stain from the blanket, her and Vega's.

"Spike you're hurt."

"Don't worry about it," he said still attempting to get up.

"No, of course I'm gonna-"

"I said don't worry about it!"

His hand clutched his face and his shoulders shook. The sob that wracked his shoulders almost made Olly cry herself. She clutched his shoulders and pulled him to her. He grabbed at her his fingers digging into her back almost painfully. His other hand threaded through her hair. He pulled her away and kissed her. His kiss was without rhyme or reason, forceful and almost robotic. She pulled away from his embrace, suddenly angry.

"Stop it! This isn't right! Spike!"

Olly heard the familiar heavy steps of Luke. She sighed and wiped at her eyes preparing for what would happen next.

The door opened with a slam and Luke stepped inside, his angelic countenance furious with anger. His blue eyes sparked and he was already getting ready to shout so Olly did the only thing that she could think of, she smiled.

"Luke? I thought you 'n Sadie wouldn't be back till later. Idiot here was complainin' about how uncomfortable his bed was set up here. He opened up his wounds tryin' to get up. Sorry if I scared you."

Luke glanced at them both and she laid a hand on his arm. He looked down at her a bit puzzled and then looked over at Spike. He opened his mouth to say something but turned when he heard smaller steps coming up the stairs.

"You two, you didn't seriously-oh come on guys! Look help me get Spike downstairs," Olly said bemusedly as Sadie peeked from behind Luke's large form.

" 'Kay we're on it, here Sadie go get the stuff set up downstairs and Olly and I'll help out Spike."

"Okay, but you owe me twenty woolongs, told you they were fine!"

Luke turned to the both of them again and Olly saw steel behind his eyes that she had never seen before.

"I'm not an idiot, so don't play me like one. Spike don't you hurt my mom, or I'll break you." With that said Luke helped helped Olly take Spike down the stairs.


	6. Presents

Alright guys another chapter because one, I recently got my internet back, and two because it was just itching to get out...even at 320 am. anyway i just wanted to let everyone know that this romance isn't instant, it's gonna take more than a bandaid and some tlc to get Spike to fall in love especially after watching Julia getting shot to death. I'm only being realistic. anyway I hope that you like this chapter and as always reviews are love!

Three days. Olly hadn't spoken one word to Spike in three days. She had gotten a new patient, one who had injured his arm fixing a hover vehicle. Afterwards another patient, one that had come for her annual checkup which she was wrapping up, Margie.

"So Margie how've you been?"

"Well, honestly things are a bit hard at home."

"Sorry to hear that, breathe in." Olly used an old earth stethoscope, it still being one of the most effective ways for her to check patients' lungs. The older woman breathed in deeply and Olly listened. She didn't hear anything noteworthy and moved the stethoscope to the other side of the woman's back.

"Okay, breathe one more time."

The woman inhaled deeply, and Olly nodded. Taking off the stethoscope she stepped back and looked at Margie. The older red head did look troubled, as if she had lost something important.

"Rick and I are getting a divorce, sometime this month, and I don't know how t' tell the kids."

"Oh, Margie,"Olly whispered as she hugged the crying woman. She had known that Margie and her husband had been having some problems but she had always assumed the twenty-five year marriage would last a bit forever. She pulled away after a few minutes and smoothed back Margie's hair.

"And the worse thing is, y'know little Amy?"

Olly nodded though Amy was about her age and about a head taller than her.

"She's getting married! How am I gonna break it t' her? I don't wanna ruin her life."

"You won't Margie, you're her mother, she loves you. Trust me when I say that she'll be mad at first, but after awhile she'll be alright. She might even understand."

"Y'think so?"

"Margie, you have to do this for yourself. Let her know that you love her, but do this if it'll make ya happy."

Margie sniffed and smiled weakly. She rubbed her small hands over her eyes, and Olly went to go fetch her some tissues from the back room. She bumped into Spike who was leaning casually against the wall arms crossed. She brushed past him to get to the countertop.

"Offerin' therapy sessions too, huh?"

"How'dja get back here anyway?"

"Very carefully. Get the feeling you've been avoidin' me."

Olly danced around Spike and snatched a box of tissues off the countertop. He grabbed her arm as she turned to leave. She glared at him and snatched her arm away.

"I'm not some sleazy girl you can have whenever you want! I don't belong to you. Now, let. me. go."

His hand let go of hers and she turned to go back to her patient.

. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . ..

"Close your eyes."

"Alright, all closed."

"Okay now just don't open 'em till I say, a'right?"

"Yeah, I gotcha."

The pair went upstairs, skipping up the stairs. The young woman giggled happily as her lover held her hand hurrying her along. She kicked her shoes off as she went and finally she could sense that they were at the top of the landing.

"A little further."

"Come on the suspense is killing me!"

"Oka-ay open!"

She opened her eyes and looked at her surprise. She turned around immediatelty and hugged her boyfriend close. He laughed throwing his arms around her.

"Luke you're the best!"

"Huh, does that mean I can get my woolongs back from you?"

"Not a chance, now lean down so I can kiss you!"

And he did.

. .. . .. . .. . .. . ..

Olly took the chicken out of the oven and rested it on the stove top. She fanned the wisps of steam away and inhaled. It smelled absolutely delicious. She took off her gloves and put them on the side counter and then took the rice off the pot. She strained it and then put it back on the stove.

"You still use old earth utensils."

Olly flinched inwardly, but casually turned around. He seemed better even after reopening his wound a few days ago. She supposed that he was used to grievous wounds being a bounty hunter and that he was always going to be restless.

"Sit down and I'll get you somethin' t' eat."

He sat at the table, gingerly she noted. His hand rested on his wound, but moved back down after a few seconds. She moved to the cupboards and began taking down plates. She could still hear Luke and Sadie moving about, and wondered what they were up to. She knew that Luke had been scraping together every last woolong he could find, but she still didn't know what he had bought. Not that they had been speaking much to each other since the argument he had had with Spike. She glanced back at the man in question and watched him. He was leaning back in his chair arms folded over his chest. She was surprised he didn't fall over the way he was sitting. She began divvying up the food and then finally brought her and his plate to the table. She knew the other two would be down when they were ready.

He began to eat, not even thanking her for the meal. He ate heartily and made plenty of noise to let her know that he liked it. Taking a bite herself, she admitted to herself that she had outdone herself. She got up again to get something to drink for the both of them from the fridge. It was a pitcher of iced tea that she had made earlier that day, it too was better than usual.

"So, I did a bit of research on you the other day."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, you come from a blueblood family, one of the first families to start backing the Gates."

"That's common knowledge."

"Yeah, well here's the thing, there was a huge cover up concerning you and a certain Vega Sinclair about-"

"Shutup. Just shutup Spike."

She got up, cleared her plate and made to leave.

"Do you even know who started the fire?"

"No, I never found out," she whispered.

"Who do you think it was?"

"I don't-I don't like to think about who it could have been. There were so many people against us, friends even."

"But he knew didn't he, he wrote a will and left everything he owned to you, the money everything, even his old house, this house."

"Yes."

"He loved you Olly."

She didn't say anything, she only headed towards the door, grabbing her jacket on the way out.

. .. . .. . .. . .. . ..

Having Spike in the house was almost like confronting the past all over again. Olly had done everything to put the horrific past behind her, but Spike seemed determined to dig it up again. She didn't need that. She already knew how the tragic story went from beginning to end. She already knew what happened, Vega dying, leaving her to pick her way through all the broken pieces. Back then, she had thought that they would make it, that they could really build a future together, but she had been wrong.

"I don't understand," she said coughing, black noxious fumes stealing her breath. She let Vega pull her along. She could only think of all of it as a tragic nightmare. The house that they had chosen, the life they had planned to live together, all of it was burning. The yellow paint crinkled into a blackening husk, the ruby red of the carpet browned beneath the fiery tongues that lapped away at it. The paintings that they had hung up together only two days before were rapidly melting before her eyes. She didn't understand any of it, the only constant in the hellish nightmare was her lover's hand. She watched his back closely terrified that he would be lost in the flames as well.

"Olly, we hafta get out of here! We'll worry later! Come on!"

He made her run faster, but it seemed that every breath she took was becoming harder to take. She began to lag behind, but she forced her body to move. It seemed to be fate that took him from her, that the one thing that slowed them down had to be her.

"Vega!"

A gust of hot white flame shot from the basement. Vega was knocked to one side and she fell to the floor. The door had fallen on him, and the way that his leg looked she knew that he wouldn't be able to walk far less run. She tried to move the door, but she didn't have the strength. Flames moved closer and she didn't even think to move she was so terrified of losing him.

"Babe, you hafta run," he said a grin on his face.

There was blood on his mouth as he whispered to her. She could hardly see him her eyes were so blurred with tears. Run, without him? How could she? She grabbed at his hand, heedless of the flames that were starting to lick at the door.

"I won't leave you, I can't!"

"Babe-"

"Don't make me go!"

He laughed harshly his hand cupping her face even as the flames began to eat away at him. His handsome features grimaced in pain but he ignored it everything in him entirely focused on her.

"You have to go, you have to because you love me. Now get goin'!"

She nodded and pressed her lips to his. Another kiss on his forehead, and then she stood up and ran. She was afraid to look back, too afraid to truly look forward, she just kept running, and then she heard his screams. Her heart lurched, her whole body clenched. He screamed her name once and then she didn't hear anything.

Olly shook her head and continued to walk sedately down the sidewalk. She remembered what happened afterward just as well. After the house had all but burned down to the ground there was evidence that the fire had been done by an arsonist. Someone had wanted them both dead. They didn't find Vega's remains and she blocked out the idea of what had happened to the body. It had been the worst day of her life, standing there all alone her whole life in flames her lover dead, and her wedding today had been tomorrow. She would have been Mrs. Sinclair, but now she would only be a Wylde and no one else. She remembered that sinking feeling as reporter's surrounded her and she could only lay her head in her hands and sob.

. .. . .. . .. . .. . ..

"Wow, Olly sure put down a nice spread," Sadie grabbing a plate of food. She sat down next to Luke and began digging into her food. It tasted just as good as it smelled, possibly better. She wondered where Olly had gotten too, Spike too, they always seemed to disappear randomly. She glanced down at the table where her hand rested. She was so excited about the new bracelet she had gotten. Luke had been so clever about it as well. He had hung the box from a golden ribbon on the ceiling. The present had dangled daintily in its box and when she opened it the bracelet shimmered and winked at her.

"So where d'ya think Olly went?"

"Not sure," she answered glancing up at Luke. He had a troubled look on her face that she didn't quite understand. He had been wearing the expression for a few days now at random times. She tried to ask him what was wrong, but he'd just shrug it off and smile. She wasn't going to let him get away with it this time.

"Luke I'm not an idiot, what's botherin' you?"

"Nothin' Sadie, don't worry about it."

"That's a lie if I ever heard one, now talk."

His mouth pulled into a slight frown, but he nodded.

"Think Spike tried somethin' with Olly."

"What!? When?"

"A coupla days ago."

"Huh, what'd she do."

"I dunno, freaked out?"

"You mean you saw them-"

"No, no I didn't see nothin' I just sort of walked in afterward and-"

"Made a big fuss."

Luke looked down at his plate and sighed. She was right, he had jumped to conclusions. Olly was single wasn't she? If she found something in Spike, who was he to interfere. He hadn't even talked to Olly about what was going on, he just assumed the worst.

"I messed up."

"You messed up," Sadie said angrily, but then her voice softened as she pressed a hand to his cheek,"but we're in the business of fixing things aren't we, so go fix it."

. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .

Olly didn't mind the fact that she had to walk, she just hated the fact that it was Spike was her reason for walking.

"That was a longer walk than last time."

"Had a lot more to think about," Olly replied as she hung up her jacket.

"Huh, that so?"

Spike followed after Olly silently and she began to wonder what he was up to. She turned to tell him off but the look he gave her made her pause.

"I lost someone important too, the day Luke found me. I tried to protect her but she got taken from me."

"I'm sorry."

"Are you?"

"I forget. Only you would question sincerity," she said mockingly.

"Not really used to that flavor."

"What are you used to then?"

"Things getting taken from me."

Olly motioned for him to follow her. They walked into the kitchen and she popped open the fridge. She took out a beer and wagged it at him.

"Here, some sincerity."

"You got some too?"

Olly took out another bottle and passed it to him, opening the first with the hem of her shirt. "Plenty."


	7. Drinking Buddy

**Okay another update and I hope that you like this chapter. It's how I imagine a romance with Spike to move, at a glacial pace. anyway as always reviews are love!**

Olly took another swig of beer. She was sitting at the kitchen table her feet resting comfortably on the wooden surface. She could feel that her cheeks were flushed and she was pushing the border between a pleasant buzz and drunk. Her drinking buddy of the night, Spike, was quietly contemplating his fifth bottle. His cheeks were brightenened with a tinge of pink which didn't quite go with his badass bounty hunter motif. She stopped swallowing the bitter liquid and let it hang from her enclosed fist.

"First, uh, job," he muttered as if it had just come to him.

"Doctor. My parents didn't believe that a child as 'priveleged' as I should have one."

"Mmmm, weird family."

"Tell me about it. What about yours?"

"Can't really say, I've always been a man on the run."

Olly looked at him noticing that his eyes had yet to lose their intensity. He looked at her and took another long gulp. She could see his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed. He rested the bottle on the table and exhaled appreciatively.

"Whaddya really wanna know Olly?"

"I wanna know...why you kissed me."

His eyes fell to the bottle as his fingers traced around the rim lazily. The truth was she was both expecting and afraid of the answer. It was like reading a book that had the hero in the clutches of the villain. Of course you would read to find out what happened next, but what if it was the ending you didn't want and if it was what if you still weren't satisfied afterwards?

"You really wanna know the answer to that?"

"Yes."

"Let's finish off the rest of the beer first."

. .. . .. . ..

She knew that if she tried to stand she wouldn't be able to. She could feel the looseness in her limbs and her head felt heavier. She wanted to laugh, but held it back with sheer will. Spike seemed a little less steady as well. He leaned back in his chair, his feet crossed over on the table a few inches from her own. She looked at her seven empty bottles and his eight. The dim light made bronze colored lights dance on the table top.

"I...kissed you because you reminded me of Julia."

"Julia? Was she the one that-"

"Died? Yeah. You don't look like her, hell you don't even talk like 'er, but you," he shrugged," feel the same."

"So, I'm a replacement for your dead girlfriend?" Olly winced. Drinking made her more blunt, more biting, which was why she usually only did it sparingly. Spike always seemed to have her doing the unusual.

"Heh, no. I told you, you're not like her. Forget it."

"No...no...please," and suddenly she was crashing. She wanted to know what happened to the hero. She wanted to find out what the ending would be, even if it meant unhappiness. "You kissed me when you thought I was Julia, and before you did it again you said my name. _My name_."

"S'just a kiss Olly."

Olly's cheeks burned as she felt anger wash over her again. She knew that he was dodging the question. She knew that he was backing out. He didn't want to admit that for a second he was attracted to her. And as she thought this she wondered if she was attracted to him. There was no denying that he was handsome in a rogueish charm kind of way, and deep down she knew he was a good man, if not a man trying to be.

He was lost and so was she. They were just floating trying to find the right path to walk on after losing their other half. She sensed the anger in her dissipate.

"Vega...was my other half. God! I loved him so much. He...he made me feel like I could-could be myself. Cheesy, I know, but-everything was better with him around. Shit happens and people we wanna keep they...disappear. 'Cept, sometimes-Jesus- sometimes they're not s'pposed to and-"

"You're lost."

"Lost? Yeah, that's what happens," Olly said her shouts winding to an almost breathless whisper.

"I' ve been lost a long time."

"And I haven't?"

"You got two kids that practically worship the ground you walk on."

"You gotta kid 'n woman who are worried sick about you."

"You have a home and job-"

"And you have a spaceship, a home that moves. You're a bounty hunter-you're free."

"Are you happy," he asked as he stood up and moved over to her. She brought her feet down and looked up at him as he hovered over her. He moved gently, not timidly, accepting his wound but not giving into it.

"I wanna be."

"You're not Julia."

"You're certainly not my Vega. You sure you wanna try this? Maybe when we're sober-"

When he kneeled down her words halted and she found herself looking at his mismatched eyes. His fingers found themselves immersed in her white hair again and he leaned in letting his lips touch hers softly. She didn't pull away this time, didn't get angry, she just let herself feel. The kiss wasn't extravagant or passionate or filled with heat, it was exploratory, curious, tentative. He pulled away first and got back to his feet.

"I like you the way you are Olly. You're not her, but you don't have to be. G'night."

"G' night," she whispered as she watched him head back to the infirmary.


	8. The Odd Couple

**Alright guys so this is definitely one of my longer chapters and I hope that you like it. I do not own Spike or Hey Jude by the Beatles. Anyway read and review, enjoy!**

"Here, drink this," Spike said softly as Olly hobbled into the kitchen. Olly looked up at the bounty hunter and nodded taking the glass from him. She peeked inside.

"What the fuck," she whispered harshly eying the egg yolk.

"It's a prairie oyster, good for hangovers."

"I'm sure it is, but I'm not drinking that. I'm...gonna go find some aspirin or somethin'."

Spike chuckled and she was tempted to tell him off, but only in her mind. Her head felt as if it had been kicked by a professional soccer player and she felt slightly nauseous. She leaned against the wall beside the refrigerator. She closed her eyes and breathed.

"Hey."

From his voice she could tell that Spike was standing right in front of her.

"Hey back," she said softly.

"Tastes disgusting going down but you'll feel better, promise."

Olly opened her eyes to look at Spike. He almost looked sincere as he held the glass out to her. She thought about last night and realized that after that he probably was aiming for sincere. She took the proffered glass. It made her stomach roll slightly to see the egg glide gently around in the various ingredients.

"What the hell is in this glass?"

"Drink it and then I'll tell you."

Olly gulped and then decided that if she could do open heart surgery she could surely knock back an egg. So she held her nose and knocked the drink back. It was slimy, it was foul, she coughed. Her head...cleared. She breathed and then glared at Spike who was laughing at her loudly.

"Not funny dammit!"

She yelled and her head didn't hurt. She looked down at the now empty glass.

"What was in that disgusting thing?"

Spike grinned and held up his five fingers.

"Egg yolk," he said eliminating one finger.

"Tomato juice," he said putting down another.

"Vinegar," he said his third finger disappearing.

"_Raw _egg and vinegar, ewww yuck."

"Wanna hear the rest or not?"

"Sorry, go ahead."

"Pepper," one more finger," and Worcestershire sauce."

"I have Worcestershire sauce in my kitchen?"

"Well no, so I used gin."

"Oh, God, that's just wonderful. I'm gonna go brush my teeth...again."

. .. . .. . ..

After brushing her teeth once more Olly went back into the kitchen. It was the weekend and she expected to be busy, but she felt as if she deserved some down time. As she sat at the table she noticed that Spike was cooking breakfast. She raised a brow, but said nothing. His back was turned to her, he was shirtless. He was wearing the pants he had been found in, minus the blood. He looked good from where she was sitting. Olly's cheeks burned red as she stared back down at the table quickly.

What was _wrong_ with her?

"How do you like your eggs," he said without looking at her.

"Cooked," she replied without thinking, "I mean scrambled."

She could practically feel him grinning. It was at that moment that Luke and Sadie wandered into the kitchen. She could tell from the way that they walked behind one another that they had slept together. They sat down across from each other, and like clockwork they both looked at her. She looked at the two of them, they all glanced at Spike.

"So..." Luke started in," uh, how're you Olly?"

"Um, huh, well, I'm great."

"Oh, that's good," Sadie said a false cheeriness in her voice.

"Christ," Olly said rubbing her temple.

All three of them jumped when a plate of eggs and toast landed in front of Olly. She glanced up at Spike. He looked down at her his gaze seeming to hold her and make her heart beat faster at the same time. Sadie coughed and the connection broke. Olly blushed running her fingers through her hair. She felt strange, all four of them were acting silly.

"Alright guys, this is getting ridiculous. Look Sadie, Luke, I get that you're in a relationship and that you're probably y'know...doing _that_. You're both adults and I don't have anything to say about it. Me 'n Spike, well," Olly looked up at Spike and saw that he was consciously not looking at her. Her voice petered out and she looked down at her eggs.

"We got drunk an' I kissed 'er. I'm sober and we'll probably do it again."

"Are you two dating," Sadie said in a meek voice. It was strange hearing her voice sound like that. Never before had Sadie's voice matched the small body that it resided in. Olly took Sadie's hand and gave it a squeeze. Sadie smiled and squeezed back.

"So, uh, Luke and I were thinking of going to the carnival that got set up the other day. You guys wanna come?"

"Um-"

"No thanks, bad experience at a carnival," Spike said flatly.

"Wait, what?"

"Had a bounty at a carnival once. Smiled really wide, had a weird gun, he could fly. He got crushed to death by a toy parade."

"Oh, well if that's the case I can understand that," Olly said trying to imagine it.

"Yeah, that's fuckin' creepy," Luke agreed.

"How about we go to that concert they're having at the park. I mean, we can call in Romy and Jim to watch the Underground for us for a few hours, can't we?"

"Yeah, that's not too bad, let's just finish breakfast first, huh?"

. .. . .. . ..

Music. It hummed through Olly's blood and she closed her eyes. Some people were sitting holding hands, like Luke and Sadie and others dancing with their partners. Olly remembered dancing with Vega a few times, it had been funny because the man had had two left feet. Every few seconds he'd step on her toes but she'd always take it with a little hint of pride. He couldn't dance but he sure knew how to make music. He used to bend his head and hum a tune near her ears.

"Wanna dance?"

Olly looked up at Spike's hand and then up at him. "You dance?"

"Nah, but you look like you wanna."

"You don't have to if you don't want-"

"Get off your ass."

"Alright, you asked for it," Olly said grinning. She took his hand and stood up. He placed his hands around her waist gently. She circled her arms around his neck and leaned against his chest. The song was an old earth song, something that had been played in the early twentieth century. The concert was a homage to old earth and its customs. Old dances, old songs, new people and it was funny because Olly knew the words. She sang them softly against Spike's chest.

"Huh?"

"Oh, sorry, just know the words that's all."

"You _know_ this song?"

"Yeah, what of it?"

"Sing some more?"

"Only if you stop crushing my feet."

"Heh, alright."

_~Hey Jude, don't let me down_

_You have found her, go out and get her_

_Remember to let her into your heart...~_

"Hey."

Number one rule of dancing: don't look up unless you plan to get kissed. Olly looked up.

"Yeah?"

And he kissed her.

**A/N Out of curiosity I actually looked up the Prairie Oyster drink. To my surprise it exists! The recipe that was in the story was actually listed on a legit site. What was even cooler was that a lot of people that commented on the site were inspired to drink it _because_ of Cowboy Bebop. Check it out:**

**http:// www. drinkstreet. ?drinkid =794&drinkname= category:20 delete the spaces.**


	9. Ups and Downs

**Hey guys so I've just about posted this notice on every one of my story updates. Basically I have had my laptop out of commission and had to send it to Dell. That took about forever and a day to accomplish and I just recently got the new charger for my laptop and so have lept back onto the horse to write. Anyway read, review and as always I do not own anyone of the Cowboy Bebop crew.**

Olly walked beside Spike as the four of them headed back home. It had been a fun day out but there was still the Underground to get back to. Olly smiled as she walked her hands swinging happily at her sides. Spike was whistling a strange tune, one that lilted in a haunting way. When he finished Olly looked over at him.

"What song was that?"

"An old song a friend of mine used t' play."

"It's really nice, I like it."

She pursed her lips and whistled the tune back at him. He smiled a half smile and then grabbed her hand in his. Her whole body felt electrocuted at the touch and she couldn't help but gasp a little. He chuckled softly and squeezed her hand tighter.

"Easy doc."

"Whatever cowboy."

Spike stopped walking and she did too. He looked down at her and pressed his hand against her cheek. Her eyes caught his and she couldn't help but smile.

"You're not so much of a jackass right now."

"That so?"

"Yeah, it is. And I have a question to ask you."

Spike moved his thumb to her lips, rubbed the tender flesh and watched as her long lashes closed. He pressed her lips against hers making a spark that made her whole body jolt. His kiss contrary to his attitude was gentle, kind. Her hand pressed against his chest and she could feel his own hands travel to her back. A shrill whistle went up in the air and the two of them pulled away from each other.

"Wow, you guys are really into each other aintcha," Sadie grinned.

Olly blushed and then glanced back up at Spike. A lopsided grin was on his face and his hand was buried behind his head in an almost schoolboy embarrassed look. She chuckled and stood on tiptoe to give him a peck on the cheek.

Luke laughed and scooped up Sadie. She squealed with laughter and wrapped her arms around his neck. She pressed a firm kiss against his lips and Olly couldn't help but raise a brow. They were more intense than she had thought. She smiled remembering how they had been as kids, she almost couldn't believe that they were adults now, in a relationship no less.

"Hey, how 'bout you show me around. Feel kinda like a third wheel with those two."

"How's your injury?"

"I can walk Olly."

"Yeah I know that but-"

"But nothin'. Thought you wanted to have me to yourself?"

Olly blushed even more deeply and looked down. His fingers found her chin and lifted it so that he could look at her again.

"So are we goin'?"

Without even turning to look at them Olly yelled," Hey we'll catch up with you back at the Underground."

"Yeah, we'll see you guys there then," Luke said as he started off towards home Sadie still giggling loudly in his arms. When Olly could no longer hear the laughter she spoke again.

"I have no idea what we're doing Spike."

"But you wanna find out right?"

Olly looked away down at the cracks in the sidewalk.

"And when you go back to bounty hunting and that whole thing?"

"You gonna wait for me?"

"What if I told you that I don't want you to do that anymore?"

"I'm a bounty hunter Olly. That's it."

She turned back to face Spike her face angry.

"But why!?! Just don't do it anymore, please."

Spike gave Olly a look that she didn't understand. Then suddenly he was just as angry. She stepped away from her and gave her that steely look that she had grown used to. The look put her on edge and she crossed her arms.

"I do what I have to Olly."

"That's just it Spike you don't _have_ to do anything. I can-"

"I'm not Vega, dammit!"

Olly silenced immediately. Her voice died in her throat and she stepped away further. She hadn't thought of Vega once during the conversation, she had only been worried for Spike. She had found him bleeding the first time she had met him and didn't ever want to see him that way again.

"You asshole! I never said anything-_anything_ about Vega! I don't want you t' get hurt again! Ugh! Bastard!"

She turned away from him and began the walk back to the Underground. She wasn't surprised when he didn't follow.


	10. May This Be Love

**Alright so I had a few people comment saying they liked the story and it only encouraged me to write some more. I got my chapter out and the song I used was May This Be Love by Jimi Hendrix. I am definitely one for the classics. PennyLane99 and The Elemental Alchemist Reyna thanks!**

All of them sat at the table drinking and listening to an old earth radio. It was the one family heirloom that Olly actually found useful. She had no use for her parents' money or their valuables. She took another long draught of the cold beer and laid back in her seat.

_~Waterfall, nothing can harm me at all,_

_my worries seem so very small_

_with my waterfall~_

Romy was a thin redhead and middle aged man, also a doctor in his previous life. He was going through an awkward divorce. He had taken to the Underground because he wanted to be closer to his kids who had moved with their mother to the area. His wife was also in the hospital and he wanted to avoid her at all costs. He was nursing a beer as well lost in his own thoughts. His partner, the man he had left his wife for, Jim sat beside him two empty bottles of beer in front of him and one in his hand. Olly had found the pair quite by accident. They had been sitting on a park bench discussing the theory in a particular medical journal she written. She had sat across from them for a good forty-five minutes as they debated. And then as she watched them Jim reached and grasped Romy's smaller hand in his much larger one. He pressed it to his lips and they both laughed genially. It was then that she approached them and offered her hand. Within the next hour they had agreed to go visit the Underground. They had been stopping by and helping ever since.

When Olly had come back alone they all knew better than to ask what had happened to ask what had happened to Spike, at least while she was sober. They got the beers out, she got the radio and older than dirt cassette tape and they vegged out.

_~I can see my rainbow calling me_

_through the misty breeze_

_of my waterfall~_

It was after two hours of no talking that Olly finally broke the silence.

"I asked him not to be a bounty hunter."

"Why," Sadie slurred her head against Luke's shoulder.

"Wanted him to be safe. You all saw the condition he was in after his last fight."

_~Some people say day-dreaming's_

_for the lazy minded fools_

_with nothing else to do~_

Romy swallowed and spoke up. "What's this Spike fellow like?"

"Rebellious."

"Smooth."

"An ass."

Romy laughed at Olly's response.

"So you love him then?"

"Wait, what?"

"It's true, Jim and I well...we've had our fair share of fights. We wouldn't get along so well if we _didn't_ fight."

"Romy, this is their first fight, I think."

"Oh trust me it is definitely not our first."

"No, no, no as a couple. It's different, stakes are higher," Jim said as he popped the top to another beer.

_~So let them laugh, laugh at me,_

_so just as long as I have you_

_to see me through,_

_I have nothing to lose 'long as I have you~_

Olly took another small sip and set her beer down. It was in that moment that the door to the Underground opened. Familiar shoes stepped through the door, familiar messy mop of dark green hair. Olly stood up her chair screeching back as she moved towards the door. Without a word she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. It was only a few seconds before his own arms enclosed around her too.

_~Waterfall, don't ever choose your ways._

_Come with me for a million days,_

_Oh, my waterfall~_

. .. . .. . .. .

Olly woke up and felt the familiar pain of a hangover hit her right between the eyes. She laid down and rubbed her temples gingerly. She was not getting used to the pain that accompanied her slowly-becoming-frequent drinking binges. She was going to have to find another way to deal with her and Spike's disagreements or she was going to become a rampant alcoholic.

"Hey."

Olly sat up to see Spike standing there, hair close to his face and still dripping wet. He had on his pants but his chest was blessedly devoid of a shirt. Olly gulped.

"Did you always walk around half naked on the Bebop?"

"Yeah 'till the woman and the kid. Kind of got a little hard after that."

"Tell me about them."

Spike sat on the edge of the bed and rested his hand on top of Olly's forehead. Olly closed her eyes as his fingers massaged her temples. She sighed softly glad for the tiny respite.

"Faye came first. Met her at a casino, even then she was in trouble. She was workin' for a dirty casino owner, thought I was in on it. We managed to get out of each other's way after that until she got herself stranded in space. Don't know how me and Jet could be so unlucky to find her in the middle of freaking space."

"Then what?"

"We picked her up and she made herself cozy. She had a bounty on her but she was pretty good at catchin' 'em too so she stuck around. Pretty soon it was like she'd always been there."

"And the kid. I gotta ask though, boy or girl."

"Girl and she's named Edward. She was a bounty but I mean, who the hell's gonna turn a kid in? Not Jet, anyway. She's a good hacker though, good at finding information. Strange as hell though."

"Sounds nice."

"Nice?"

"Yeah, sounds like you care about them."

The fingers moved away and Olly opened her eyes.

"I want to call them again."

"I know."

"Password for my computer is Apollo."

"Strange password."

"Not really, Greek god of medicine, look it up someday."

He lounged on the bed and stretched. He laid on his stomach his arms beneath his chin and looked over at her. She turned so that she was on her side.

"Want a Prairie Dog?"

"God no," she snapped quickly. He smiled softly and then moved so that one hand was cupping her face. He pressed her lips to hers gently, kissing her just the way she needed. She sighed opening her mouth letting him inside. He didn't waste a second and she sighed gently beneath the onslaught. They broke the kiss after a few more seconds. She looked at him, really looked at him.

"Spike, we shouldn't."

"I know. You want to though, right?"

Olly knew that from the heat that suddenly hit her face that she was blushing. She bit her lip tentatively and looked down.

"No, Olivia. Keep lookin'."

Her eyes snapped to his and then she smiled.

"Alright."

She kissed him again and this time she didn't plan on just stopping there.


End file.
